New Britain Subcontractors

Alan V.

Verified review

Dan Williams handeled a major restoration of our home for us. This included new wood floors, refinished exisiting floors, painting the trim and walls in a 2800 square foot house and upgrading our kitchen. The project took about 7 weeks and was a bit over schedule but not due to Dan's organization skills. The quality of his work is outstanding and he has a fine sense of interior design which is a benefit to the homeowner. His subcontractors are wonderful and his due dates are always met. As an added benefit, Dan is an outstanding person with a great sense of humor and we would hired him for any projects we have in the future.

Robert Y.

Verified review

Job done well. Originally said would only be 1 day, start at 8AM. Did not start until 11AM so took 2 days. Serious issues with subcontractor for interior work have been addressed. All in all we are satisfied and would call for estimates on future work.

SE B.

Verified review

This was my first experience working with Thumbtack and For U Builders. I have a small house, and in the past, many contractors have simply not returned my calls because the job was considered "too small to bother." For U Builders installed 2 new custom exterior doors on my home. From the very beginning, Brandon (scheduling) and John (owner) were very communicative -- we had to schedule around the door delivery, and they were able to fit in my project as soon as the last door arrived. Stephen (Carpenter) is amazing! He made it look so easy and was attentive to every detail -- my house was built in the 1930s, so adjustments were necessary to make everything fit. When the job was finished, there wasn't a trace of dust or debris anywhere! I am very, very happy with the results, and will definitely work with For U Builders in the future. The entire team are professional, friendly, efficient and a joy to work with! Thank you!

Christine N.

Verified review

Contractor remained in touch with me through an unexpected delay in getting the faucet we needed him to replace. He showed up on time, worked quickly and got the job done. John was pleasant and competent. I was pleased with his work and would hire him again.

Liz B.

Verified review

Kevin was very diligent, caring and resourceful. He wanted to get everything just right, and he always responded immediately to questions and suggestions. He had high expectations for any subcontractors he used, and always had our best interest at heart. Always thinking about the best possible approach, he was creative in his work.

Tracey O.

Verified review

I rarely leave reviews for contractor's but in this case, it was necessary. After obtaining several quotes,Tim's pricing was competitive but reasonable. Tim and his crew arrived promptly at 9:00 AM and completed the job by 7:00 PM, just like Tim predicted. His craftmenship was outstanding, a work of art, and being the neat freak that I am, Tim and crew were tidy throughout the entire processes. I would highly recommend him.

Onell C.

Verified review

Victor has a diverse list of subcontractors for any need on the fly, which reduces the search and background check for individual jobs. I was pleased with the estimate and the work his crew did. More importantly, anytime there was a concern, he addressed it immediately and was able to adapt quickly.

Jason S.

Verified review

We had the pleasure of working with Mark Troiano from CJT Development to build our custom new house. He is everything you would want in your contractor. He made great suggestions and helped keep us stay within our budget. When we met with him to go over out blueprints he came back with ways we could save money and not lose the integrity of our dream home. He did an amazing job sticking to the time table that we discussed previous to starting our build.
Mark does an amazing job of explaining the process of everything and stayed in constant contact with us throughout the entire project. He was always available to answer our questions whether it be in person, on the phone, text or email.
Mark was always willing to help out where ever it was needed. He is hard working and honest and works with quality subcontractors. Our house came out beautiful and the quality is amazing. I would highly recommend Mark to do any project, and would hire him again in the
Here is a link to our home on Houzz
http://www.houzz.com/projects/1482269

Jennifer K.

Verified review

Working with Desiderio Construction was wonderful! We trusted them 100% with every aspect of our renovation and would do it again but only if they were with us! The quality of their work is incredible and every subcontractor that walked onto the site was just as wonderful, both in quality as well as personality. I cannot say enough about this team. They are passionate about what they do and treat your home as though it is their own and are truly wonderful people.

Jane A.

Verified review

I bought a condo in Fairfield that needed extensive renovations ... it was original from the 70's. I had hired Murphy Bros. to fix some closet doors which he did an excellent job on . He and his crew continued on and helped me with the entire renovation! Jack is a pleasant college educated individual who seems to love his work as well as helping people out. If there was a job that he and his crew could not handle he found me the right subcontractor to do the job and saved me thousands of dollars. He also has a great eye for design ... he assisted me in the selection and purchase of materials and appliances, again cutting down on the total cost.
Jack and his crew are very thorough and clean. I would come home from work, and the place was spotless! I have referred Jack to many friends and business associates, and all have had similar experiences . I would highly recommend Murphy Brothers!

Suzanne L.

Verified review

Don took the initiative to keep us informed about what he was going to do each day and reported frequently on what was done. He was very helpful with details of the project that we hadn't thought about. I trusted him and his subcontractors with our house and they more then met my expectations. I will use them again for future projects.

Faith H.

Verified review

Don is a great contractor. I cannot speak highly enough of him! He is easy to work with – patient, kind, explains things well and is great with kids and animals. If you have worked with other contractors, you know that is a rarity! He is always on the job sight and does all the construction, carpentry, and tile work only using subcontractors for specialty jobs like plumbing, electrical, and refinishing floors. Because he is the one doing the work there is great continuity on the job. It does mean, however, that having Don do the project will take longer than hiring a big team to come in to do a project. He always checks in and tidies up at the end of the work day. This might seem small, but it makes a world of difference. And most importantly his work is beautiful! Our kitchen remodel exceeded out expectations. The tile work is precise. He created custom cabinetry for a mudroom and flanking the fireplace in our living room to our exact specifications. He offered suggestions when asked and assisted in keeping costs within budget. Speaking of budget, his prices are great. We interviewed 4 contractors and his was by far the best price for the job. If you use Don, you will be pleased with not only the end result of the project but also the process!

Georgine J.

Verified review

I have used Caro Construction for four major projects now, and I wouldn't hesitate to hire them for all of my future jobs. This is a brief outline of some of his work for me personally from 2011 to present:
1. Apartment conversion: I had need of carpentry services to remodel and convert a large apartment I own into two smaller units. This required putting up walls, creating a new entryway and hanging doors, planning and installing a kitchen, and remodeling a bathroom.
2. Kitchen gut/remodel: This job was instigated by a water leak and an insurance claim, but we had the kitchen gutted to the studs and joists from the ceiling down. Mr. Caro worked in tandem with my insurance adjuster to handle the job on my behalf before I arrived in person to see the final result. He was very professional and the results were fantastic and economical.
3. Frozen pipe insurance claim: I had a hot water baseboard heating pipe in the wall burst in the middle of winter in one unit of a 4 unit apartment building. Mr. Caro once again worked in tandem with my insurance company to make repairs to the affected second story unit as well as the unit immediately below. This repair required subcontracting for plumbing repairs and flooring replacement, tearing out and replacing walls, insulation, and a ceiling. The job was done very quickly and very well, and when part of the insurance claim became an issue (some materials were not replaceable due to age - ceiling tiles from 1960) he worked with me to creatively and economically resolve the situation.
4. Replace front entryway stairs and porch repair: The entry to my 4 unit apartment building had stairs that were not mounted correctly below the frost line and they moved and rotted as a result. He tore the stairs off, leveled the entire structure, made some minor repairs replacing some floor boards and all rails, and built a new, level, much better staircase.
5. Many miscellaneous repairs and interior remodeling and finish work: over the years of getting great service from Caro Carpentry, I came to depend on him for all my maintenance and repairs for both my house and my 4 unit apartment building.
I have found him to have excellent communication skills, accurate bids, and hes very honest and pleasant to deal with. He was very professional in his dealings with me, with other contractors he brought in for specific stages of the work in progress, and gave frequent progress reports as well as communicating the next steps during the entire process. I was very pleased with the end results of all my projects. The quality of his subcontractors was also such that I have used several of them several times for other jobs, as well.

Q & A

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thumbtack.

Why should you hire a contractor?

Hiring a general contractor is a good idea for many remodeling projects. Home renovation contractors have a broad range of skills to manage, coordinate and complete a project. They should help make sure your project comes in on time and within your budget as they hire and supervise all the necessary subcontractors, including electricians and plumbers. They also handle procuring all the materials required for your job. Some homeowners look to save money by acting as their own contractor, but an experienced home renovation contractor is worth the cost. They should know local building codes, be able to pull all necessary permits, and work with inspectors to make sure the construction meets local codes. Also, because they get professional discounts, they can typically buy materials at a better price than you can; better prices on materials and labor save you money, and make up for at least a percentage of the cost of the contractor.

What do construction project managers do?

Construction project managers help in all stages of your construction project, starting from the very first step. Typically paid a percentage of a total project cost, they are part of the design and planning process and help ensure seamless communication between the design parties and the construction team. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, their scope of work includes preparing cost estimates, budgets and work timetables; interpreting and explaining contracts and technical information to other professionals; reporting work progress and budget to clients; collaborating with architects, engineers and other construction pros; selecting subcontractors and scheduling and coordinating their tasks; responding to work delays, emergencies and other problems; and ensuring compliance with legal requirements, building and safety codes, and other regulations.

The work of construction project managers may seem very similar to that of general contractors, but there are some critical differences. One difference is that, unlike most general contractors, project managers are not engaged in the actual construction — they are onsite overseeing the work of subcontractors. Another key difference is that project managers are hired during the design phase, while general contractors are hired after plans have been made. The project manager is generally paid a percentage of the total project cost, while the general contractor is more typically paid according to the bid they gave to build your project.

What is a general contractor?

When starting a home remodel or new construction project, you will probably hire a general contractor. A general contractor is a professional who is qualified to take a set of building plans and construct them as outlined. The general contractor may help perform the day-to-day building, or they may just hire workers and oversee all the work activities. In either case, the job of the general contractor is to see that your project gets built.

When you have a building project, ask for bids from various contractors. The bids tell you how much each will charge and what their scope of work will be. Once you have selected a bid, you sign a contract with that general contractor outlining the specifics of the project and the milestones during the project when they will receive payment installments. Once the contract is official, the general contractor will bring in their crew to begin construction. The contractor will manage the workers and subcontractors (anyone who doesn’t work directly for their company but that they need to outsource, like a marble installation pro), order all the materials, obtain work permits, and confirm that all the workers and subcontractors are completing their projects as planned. They typically handle all the payments to the workers and subcontractors, and send you invoice. For all these reasons, it’s also especially important to follow a few smart hiring practices when it comes to finding a general contractor. If you are organized and competent to oversee construction projects, and are able to make sure everything is being built properly and meeting code, it’s possible you can be your own general contractor.

How do I find out if a contractor is licensed?

It’s important to know if your project requires work by a licensed professional, as licensing laws can vary by state, locality, and job details. You can find general licensing information online at the government websites that handle occupational licensing for a given profession in your state or location. Some states designate a project cost over which you have to hire a licensed contractor. To find qualified licensed contractors, search your state’s licensing board. For example, in California, the Department of Consumer Affairs operates a searchable database through the Contractors State License Board. In some states, contracting licenses are provided at a regional level. You can find links to specific databases on BRB Publications’ Occupational Licensing page. Red flags that a contractor may not be licensed or may be providing an expired or false license number are unreasonably low bids or a request for complete payment upfront. For more, check out our tips for smart hiring on Thumbtack.

How do you choose a commercial general contractor?

A commercial contractor provides similar services as a residential general contractor but specializes in working with large-scale projects for businesses, schools, nonprofits, governments and development firms. When researching commercial general contractors, review their portfolio of work and confirm they have ample experience working in the area you need. For example, if you are building a small strip mall, ask if the contractors have experience successfully incorporating all the needed elements such as a parking lot, meeting ADA requirements, accessing the proper permits, and completing work on time.

Once you’ve identified several qualified candidates, request bids for your project and then compare the scope of work with your needs and budget. Your commercial general contractor should oversee design, permitting, construction, materials purchase, and adherence to building code and zoning regulations, as well as sticking to an agreed-upon budget and schedule. It’s important to establish clear communication with your future commercial general contractor, as this will mean a smoother process for everyone. For all these reasons, it’s also especially important to follow a few smart hiring practices when it comes to finding a general contractor.